Wednesday, April 21, 2010

This baby belongs to this mama. Isn't he sweet? He is so calm and alert. He was very interested in my cameras and my movement. AT only 10 days old he fits the definition of old soul.

This is also a great chance for me to talk about my approach to newborns. There are many many photographers who would have spent much time trying to get this baby to sleep so they could confuse him with a prop and proceed to manipulate him into contrived poses. Sometimes that type of newborn photography is well done, but most of the time I just feel sorry for the baby. My approach with newborn portraiture is the same as with all portraiture: Gain trust and engage and crack the surface. I might not always 100% succeed but I always go for that connection. Even with newborns. They are people after all, just teeny tiny totally adorable people. I also like to focus on the new relationship with mom/dad and baby. I do not mean stripping everyone down and treating baby as an egg to balance, rather that love and awe that new parents feel. It is beautiful and real and makes the portraits about the people in them, rather than the cleverness of the photographer.

I have more newborns coming up. I can't wait. Keep them coming I say. ;)

Friday, April 9, 2010

I thought I'd share a recent maternity session done using three cameras. I usually use three (or more!) cameras. Different cameras can provide very different results. This post can also be considered as one of the main reasons I love film. I like shooting and done. The results I want are on the film, not to be created at a later date on the computer.

First up: 35mm film with a 35mm lens and Hp5 film.

Next: 120 film in 645 format with a 75mm lens and hp5 film.

And finally: Holga toy camera with 120 delta 3200 film.

Here are a couple of others from that session that I liked. Both are taken with Bronica 645, 75mm lens, delta 3200 film. (Have I mentioned how much I love delta 3200 in medium format, especially rated at 1600? Well I do!)

Photo Note

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Who am I? What am I about?

I am a photographer living in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. I have kids and love kids and specialize in kids, but will shoot anyone so long as they are not getting married.

Displaying a preference for tangible things I embrace film and old cameras and toy cameras and use the computer to only share my work, not make it. I spend my free time and my work time in my darkroom and I do not consider it a successful day unless the children are happy and my fingers smell like fixer.